Immigration Reform Advocates Meet With Northwest Arkansas Community Members

STAFF PHOTO ANDY SHUPE David Gearhart, left, university chancellor, and Curt Rom, center, professor of agriculture, speak Thursday with Eliseo Medina, a Mexican-American labor union activist and advocate for immigration reform in the United States, during a rally for Fast for Families Across America.

SPRINGDALE -- Amanda Perez said she's trying to legally fight her husband's deportation. She said immigration reform could keep other families from having to deal with the same problem.

By The Numbers

Arkansas Immigrants

Foreign-born Arkansans made up 4.4 percent of the state’s population in 2011.

• In 2011, 28 percent of immigrants were naturalized as citizens.

• In 2010, 1.8 percent of the population were undocumented immigrants.

• In 2011, 6.5 percent of the population was Latino.

• In 2011, 1.2 percent of the population was Asian.

Source: immigrationpolicy.org

By The Numbers

US Immigrants

In 2011 there were 40.4 million foreign-born people living in the country.

• In 2011 there were 15.5 million naturalized citizens.

• In 2011, there were 11.1 million authorized migrants.

• There was a 30 percent increase in the foreign-born population from 2000 to 2011.